Partnership for Gulf Coast Land Conservation: May 5 Update

Only a few spaces left for the Gulf Partnership Annual Meeting. Join us in Birmingham, Alabama on Wednesday, May 11, 2016.

Gulf Partnership members and friends are invited to attend the 2016 Annual Meeting to get the latest information on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill restoration process and to make plans for the Gulf Partnership’s future. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 11 from 12:00 noon until 5:00 pm. Follow this link to register. On the agenda:

Workshop on Land Conservation and Your Coastal Community: Identifying and Communicating Benefits – Rob Aldrich, Director of Community Conservation, Land Trust Alliance

Gulf Partnership Business Meeting and Election of 2016-2017 Executive Committee

The 2016 Annual Meeting is being held in conjunction with the Land Trust Alliance’s Southeast Regional Conference for Community and Land Conservation at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. The Southeast Regional Conference will begin the evening of May 11 and continue through May 13.

In response to the oil spill, the Gulf Partnership and its 27 member organizations have worked to protect more than 15,000 acres of critical habitat over the past two years. Through a generous donation from the Knobloch Family Foundation, the Gulf Partnership has been able to make matching grants to land trusts to protect beaches, marshes, and forested uplands across the region. The Gulf Partnership and its member organizations are poised to protect thousands of additional acres in the coming years. Find out more about the special places that have been protected by reading the press release.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced the availability of $15 million to help eligible conservation partners leverage local investments to provide technical assistance and financial resources for wetlands protection and improvements on private and Tribal agricultural land nationwide. The Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP) is designed to increase the number of voluntary conservation projects for targeted, high priority wetland protection, restoration and enhancement. Wetland reserve easements allow landowners to enhance and protect habitat for wildlife on their lands, reduce impacts from flooding, recharge groundwater and provide outdoor recreational and educational opportunities. Proposals must be submitted to NRCS state offices by May 16, 2016. More information is available on the NRCS Agricultural Conservation Easement Program webpage.

The NCWCG program is designed to acquire, restore, and enhance wetlands in coastal States through competitive matching grants to State agencies. The primary goal of the NCWCG Program is the long-term conservation of coastal wetland ecosystems. Projects can include: 1. Acquisition of a real property interest (e.g., conservation easement or fee title) in coastal lands or waters (coastal wetlands ecosystems) from willing sellers or partners for long-term conservation; 2. Restoration, enhancement, or management of coastal wetlands ecosystems; or 3. A combination of acquisition, restoration, and management. All projects must ensure long-term (at least 20 years) conservation. Nonprofits must work with their State agencies to have projects considered. The deadline for States to apply is Wednesday, June 29, 2016. Read the full announcement here.

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Seeks Proposals Designed to Develop the Next Generation of Conservationists - June 15 Deadline.

Through this grant opportunity NFWF will provide financial support for conservation employment programs that contribute to Gulf of Mexico ecosystem restoration efforts. Proposals should bring together public and private partners to support organizations developing innovative conservation job opportunities for youth on public and publicly-accessible lands in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. For more information, visit the announcement webpage,

United States Fish & Wildlife Service Seeks Applications for Wetland Restoration Projects.

The U.S. Standard Grants Program is a competitive, matching grants program that supports public-private partnerships carrying out projects in the United States that further the goals of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). These projects must involve long-term protection, restoration, and/or enhancement of wetlands and associated uplands habitats for the benefit of all wetlands-associated migratory birds. Contact the Joint Venture Coordinator in your project area for assistance with developing a project proposal, for information about how proposals are ranked, and/or for additional guidance. In order to apply for a grant, you and/or your organization must complete the Grants.gov registration process. The registration process can vary. The deadline to submit is July 14, 2016. See the full announcement here.

Upcoming Events.

Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Hosts 2016 State of Our Coast Conference on Tuesday, May 11.

Topics will include BP Oil Spill Restoration Projects, Oyster Hatcheries, Working Waterfronts, and Permits for Living Shorelines. The event will be held at the Golden Nugget Casino in Biloxi, MS. For more information, visit the State of the Coast website.

River Rally National Conference Scheduled for May 20 – 23 in Mobile, Alabama.

River Rally, hosted annually by River Network, is a national conference that focuses on education, inspiration and celebration within the river and watershed community. For more information and to register, please visit the conference webpage.

Louisiana 2016 State of the Coast Conference to be held June 1 – 3.

The State of the Coast conference provides a forum to exchange timely and relevant information on the dynamic conditions of Louisiana’s coastal communities, environment, and economy and to apply that information to existing and future coastal restoration and protection efforts, policies, and decision-making. For more information, please go to the conference website.

Gulf of Mexico Coastal Training Program Offers Workshops on Blue Carbon, Use of Native Grasses and Invasive Species.

The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Training delivers relevant information to conservation practitioners, natural resource managers and others on issues related to the ecological and economic health of the Gulf of Mexico. Click here to see the workshop schedule.

Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA) All Hands Meeting will be held June 15 – 17 in Baton Rouge, LA.

Make plans to attend the GOMA All Hands Meeting to make progress on actions and policies impacting coastal resilience, data and monitoring, education and engagement, habitat resources, water resources and wildlife and fisheries. Prior to the All Hands Meeting, there will be a joint meeting of GOMA and the Gulf Coast Plains and Ozarks and the Gulf Coast Prairie Landscape Conservation Cooperatives. For more information and to register visit the Gulf of Mexico Alliance All Hands webpage.

Find us on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/GulfPartnershipand visit our website atwww.gulfpartnership.org. The Partnership for Gulf Coast Land Conservation is organized under the auspices of the Land Trust Alliance which provides administrative and fiscal support. The mission of the Gulf Partnership is to work together across the five Gulf of Mexico states to increase the pace, quality and permanence of voluntary land and water conservation in the coastal region. For more information regarding any item in this newsletter, contact Julia Weaver, Partnership Co-Coordinator at 228-219-2279 orjweaver@lta.org.